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Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
picture from Lara Croft:  Tomb Raider 6 out of 106 out of 106 out of 106 out of 106 out of 10
Rated: PG-13
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Current Voter Rating: 7.000 (170 votes)
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I saw three movies in the span of about one week, and they were all pretty much the same movie. They were The Mummy Returns, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. All three of these films had pretty much the same plot and were of pretty much the same quality. Thus, my review for this movie is applicable to all three and you will find pretty much the same text, though different pictures, on each review page.

This movie, Insert Title Here, was one that I had wanted to see ever since I first saw its exciting trailer in the theater and/or its previews on television. Seeing this got my heart pounding and I knew for sure that the movie would be both exciting and visually stunning. And to be sure, upon actually seeing the whole film, this was definitely the case. There seemed to be danger at every turn, and the special effects were top notch.

picture from Lara Croft:  Tomb Raider

The problem though, was with the script. The plot goes roughly like this. The main character, or characters, is (are) in search of an ancient and magical source of godlike power which gives its possessor the ability to rule and/or destroy the world (depending on the possessor's motives). There are, of course, a bunch of bad guys in search of the same treasure at, coincidentally enough, the same point in time (even though this mysterical and sorcerous object has been around for thousands of years). To make things even more suspenseful, there is a third force at play, and that is time. Time is ticking down for both the good guys and the bad guys, and they must work together to first defeat time and then they can battle it out for the title of ruler of the world.

While it might seem somewhat exciting at first, this sort of plot has been done time and time again. The original The Mummy was different in that it did it with a lot of originality, breakthrough special effects, and a wonderful script with either suspense or jokes at every turn. Sadly though, with its sequel, The Mummy Returns, and likewise with Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, the story was not original, the effects were nothing new, and the script was boring and stale. What really got to me about all three of these movies was the reliance on the ancient, mystical artifacts containing an unstoppable source of power. This just got to be a bit much. It was as if I was attending three cult ceremonies.

Oh, and one more thing, a movie such as this deserves and requires a sweeping and invigorating musical score. Of the three, The Mummy Returns fares the best, while Atlantis fails miserably especially given its Disney pedigree.

picture from Lara Croft:  Tomb Raider

That is not to say that I did not enjoy either one, however. What I really enjoyed most about The Mummy Returns was seeing the return of the entire cast. I also really liked Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn's (Rachel Weisz) new son, Alex (played by Freddie Boath). In Atlantis: The Lost Empire, I felt that the voice of Michael J. Fox was perfect for the main character, Milo Thatch. Atlantis also created some other memorable characters, though it was hard to develop each one in one short film. Its probably somewhat disgusting to say this, but Princess Kida was kind of hot. ;) What I loved most about Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, was Angelina Jolie. The movie revolved around her, and she delivered. Of course, there is no way that a woman of her voluptuous shape could be in such physical condition to perform those acrobatics that we see Lara Croft perform, and there is no way that a woman of her relatively small size could wield two rapid-firing guns like that (the kickback would break her wrists), but seeing a hot chick with guns who can kick ass is quite a nice fantasy (and most likely the source of popularity for the video game of the same name). It was also interesting to see Jolie with her real-life father (playing her character's father), Jon Voight.

And in their own strange ways, each of these movies also taught us a motive. In The Mummy Returns, we learn that devoting one's life to saving the world may not be such a bad idea, and that true love is the absence of selfishness (Evelyn is willing to risk her life to save Rick, but Anck-Su-Namun and Imhotep's love is proven fragile when she decides to abandon him and save herself). In Atlantis: The Lost Empire, we learn that human life is more important than power and riches. And in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider we learn that the past is best left in the past, and that we shouldn't live in the past or try to change it.

thumbs up!If you can put up with the cult-like feel and the predictable plot, then your in for some fun entertainment and a wild ride, though its not very believable. For instance, in the Alaskan scene, let's just say that I could tell that she wasn't cold.

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So far, the average rating for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is: 7.000 (170 votes)

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